This description relates to presenting online content items in combination with online publications, and more particularly to a network-based system and method for asynchronously retrieving and serving online content such as video content along with other online publications.
Internet users are able to view online publications (e.g., video publications) on user devices. At least some of these online publications include movies, television programs, and other videos. These online publications are displayed along with online content items (e.g., video advertisements) where the online content item is displayed at a predetermined time during the display of the online publication (e.g., before, during, or after). In the case where an online video publication is being displayed on a user device and the video publication reaches a point where an online content item (e.g., video ad) is to be displayed to the user, the user device will transmit a call to an online content provider. The online content provider serves an appropriate online content item to the user device for displaying. However, in some cases, the online content provider may not have an appropriate online content item to provide to the user and instead may have to instruct the user device to request online content items from one or more content providers. Each time a call is made by the user device or by the online content provider causes further delay in serving and displaying the online content item to the user. These delays can frustrate the user.